Epithelial Stem-Cell Transplantation for Severe Ocular-Surface Disease

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Abstract
The treatment of patients with severe ocular-surface disease has been largely unsuccessful. Superficial keratectomy (the excision of abnormal cells on the corneal surface) can lead to invasion of the corneal surface by goblet cells derived from the conjunctiva (“conjunctivalization”). Standard procedures of corneal transplantation (penetrating or lamellar keratoplasty) provide a stable ocular surface only for as long as the donor epithelium survives. After the inevitable sloughing of the donor epithelium, conjunctivalization will occur.The ocular surface is composed of the tear film and the epithelium of the cornea and conjunctiva. Stratified, nonkeratinized epithelium covers the entire cornea as well as . . .